Native plants not always better for Wildlife

The five-year pioneering
Plants for Bugs project results
revealed at the Wildlife Gardening Forum
Conference at RHS Wisley on 17th March show that native plants are
not necessarily better for wildlife than non-natives.

RHS scientists Helen Bostock and Andrew Salisbury led an
examination on the
value of native and non-native plantings
for biodiversity leading to evidence-based advice for the
wildlife gardener. Salisbury was keen to say he had discovered only
preliminary results but the overwhelming conclusion was
that near natives, and even one exotic plant, was as good for
wildlifeas natives.

They hoped to tackle wildlife planting guidance
for
gardeners, which is largely based on anecdotal
evidence or assumptions that have
been shown to be untrue, for
example that nettles in gardens will
attract butterflies. One widely held assumption is that
native plants are vital to attract wildlife to gardens. In fact,
approximately 70 per cent of plants in the 'average' garden are
non-native
yet these gardens are rich in
biodiversity.